iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra - Which is the Flagship King?

Summary

In this head-to-head comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra showcase their premium designs, with the iPhone featuring a grade five titanium frame and the S23 Ultra offering a boxy design with an S Pen. Both devices flaunt top-tier OLED displays, though the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a slight brightness advantage outdoors. Camera-wise, the S23 Ultra excels in macro and ultrawide shots, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max leads in low-light and video quality. Performance is top-notch on both, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max gets a nod for its newer three-nanometer chip. The S23 Ultra provides faster charging options and a lower price point post-launch, making both smartphones formidable contenders in the market.

Takeaways

• 📱 The iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are both premium smartphones with excellent build quality.
• 🏔️ The iPhone 15 Pro Max features a grade five titanium frame, which is lighter and more premium compared to the aluminum frame on the S23 Ultra.
• 📲 The iPhone 15 Pro Max has a more comfortable design with curved edges, making it easier to hold despite its large size.
• 🌈 Both devices offer a variety of colors, but the S23 Ultra provides more options, including exclusive colors available directly from Samsung.
• 💧 Both smartphones have IP68 water and dust resistance, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max can be submerged deeper than the S23 Ultra.
• 🖥️ The iPhone 15 Pro Max and S23 Ultra both have top-tier OLED displays with adaptive refresh rates, but the S23 Ultra has a slightly larger and sharper display.
• 📸 In terms of cameras, the S23 Ultra excels in macro and ultrawide photography, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max performs better in low light and has a more versatile depth control for portraits.
• 🎮 The iPhone 15 Pro Max is equipped with a more advanced three nanometer A17 Pro chip, enabling console-level gaming not possible on the S23 Ultra.
• 🔋 The S23 Ultra supports faster charging capabilities with 45-watt wired charging and 15-watt wireless charging, surpassing the iPhone 15 Pro Max's 20-watt wired and 7.5-watt wireless charging.
• 💬 The decision between the two may come down to personal preference for operating systems, with the iPhone offering longer software support and the S23 Ultra providing unique features like the S Pen.

Q & A

What material is the frame of the iPhone 15 Pro Max made of, and how does it compare to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra?

The iPhone 15 Pro Max has a grade five titanium frame, which is the same material used on the Mars Rover, making it more premium compared to the aluminum frame on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Which smartphone is lighter, the iPhone 15 Pro Max or the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra?

The iPhone 15 Pro Max is lighter than the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, a change from the previous model where the iPhone 14 Pro Max was heavier.

How does the design of the iPhone 15 Pro Max compare to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in terms of comfort?

The iPhone 15 Pro Max has curved edges and contoured edges, making it more comfortable to hold, especially considering the large size of these devices, compared to the boxy design of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra which can dig into the hands.

What are the color options available for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and how do they compare to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra?

The iPhone 15 Pro Max is available in Black, White, Blue, and Natural Titanium colors, all of which are quite muted. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra offers more variety with Phantom Black, Cream, Green, and Lavender, and exclusive colors like Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime, and Red available from samsung.com.

What is the difference between the water resistance ratings of the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra?

Both devices have an IP68 water and dust resistance rating, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max can be submerged deeper into water compared to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Which smartphone has a larger display, the iPhone 15 Pro Max or the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra?

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a slightly larger display than the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

How do the front-facing cameras of the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra compare?

Both the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra have 12-megapixel front-facing cameras, and both are considered to take excellent selfies.

What is the main difference between the Face ID on the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra?

The Face ID on the iPhone 15 Pro Max is more secure and can be used for banking apps, while the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is less secure and not suitable for such purposes.

Which smartphone has better performance, the iPhone 15 Pro Max or the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra?

The iPhone 15 Pro Max has the edge in performance due to its newer three-nanometer A17 Pro chip, which scores higher in benchmarks compared to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen2 for Galaxy in the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

What is the main advantage of the S Pen that comes with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra?

The S Pen on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra offers a level of precision for tasks like editing images or signing documents on the go, which is not found in other smartphones.

How do the battery lives of the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra compare?

In practical usage, both the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra have excellent battery life, with the iPhone 15 Pro Max possibly having a slight edge, although this can vary based on individual usage.

What is the main difference in charging capabilities between the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra?

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra supports faster charging with up to 45 watts, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max supports up to 20 watts of wired charging. Additionally, the S23 Ultra has fast Qi wireless charging at 15 watts and reverse wireless charging, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max has 7.5 watts of wireless charging and MagSafe charging up to 15 watts.

Outlines

00:00

📱 Comparison of iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

The paragraph compares the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in terms of build and design, display, and durability. The iPhone 15 Pro Max features a grade five titanium frame, making it lighter than the S23 Ultra. Both devices have premium looks, with the iPhone having a flat design and the S23 Ultra having a boxy design. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is said to be more comfortable to hold. Both phones have an IP68 water resistance rating, but the iPhone can be submerged deeper. They also have high-quality displays with OLED technology and adaptive refresh rates, but the S23 Ultra has a slightly larger and sharper display. The iPhone 15 Pro Max introduces the Dynamic Island feature, while the S23 Ultra has a punch-hole camera. Both have secure unlock methods, with the iPhone using Face ID and the S23 Ultra using an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner.

05:01

📸 Camera Showdown: iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

This section discusses the camera capabilities of both smartphones. The iPhone 15 Pro Max and S23 Ultra have 12-megapixel front-facing cameras that take excellent selfies. The rear cameras are where the competition heats up, with the S23 Ultra having a 200-megapixel primary camera and the iPhone 15 Pro Max having a 48-megapixel primary camera. The iPhone is favored for dynamic range and low light, shooting at 24 megapixels by default, which appears sharper. The S23 Ultra offers the ability to switch to 50 or 200 megapixels but with longer processing times. In terms of zoom, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a five times telephoto camera, while the S23 Ultra has two telephoto cameras with three times and ten times zoom. The iPhone also includes a LiDAR scanner for better low light focusing and depth information for portraits. The video quality on both is praised, with the iPhone having an edge in dynamic range and color, as well as an improved cinematic mode.

10:01

💪 Performance and Software Face-Off

The performance of the S23 Ultra, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen2 chip, is compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max's A17 Pro chip, which is built on a three-nanometer process. While both perform exceptionally well, the iPhone 15 Pro Max scores higher in benchmarks. The paragraph also covers software, with iOS 17 on the iPhone and Android with One UI on the S23 Ultra. The S23 Ultra is noted for its DeX feature, which allows for a desktop experience when connected to a TV, and the unique S Pen stylus. The iPhone 15 Pro Max introduces a customizable action button and has crash detection as well as emergency SOS via satellite. However, it lacks a SIM card tray in the US, only offering eSIM, unlike the S23 Ultra which has both a physical SIM card tray and eSIM capability.

15:01

🔊 Audio, Battery, and Connectivity Showdown

Both phones have stereo speakers, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max is said to have richer sound. The iPhone 15 Pro Max has finally adopted USB type C, which is a significant change from the previous lightning port. The S23 Ultra has a larger physical battery but both phones offer similar battery life. However, the S23 Ultra supports faster charging at 45 watts, compared to the iPhone's 20 watts. It also has wireless power share, a feature not present on the iPhone. The paragraph concludes with a comparison of storage and pricing, noting that both come in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB variants and start at similar prices, but the S23 Ultra is now available at a lower price due to its earlier release date.

🏆 Final Verdict: Choosing Between iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

The final paragraph summarizes the comparison, stating that both smartphones are among the best currently available. The S23 Ultra is highlighted for its unique S Pen, superior ultrawide and macro cameras, and the fact that it can be purchased at a lower price. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is praised for its more compact design, better low light camera performance, improved video capabilities, the new three-nanometer chip for enhanced performance, and the introduction of USB type C. The choice between the two is suggested to come down to personal preference, particularly the choice of operating system.

Keywords

💡iPhone 15 Pro Max

The iPhone 15 Pro Max is a flagship smartphone from Apple, highlighted in the video for its premium build and design, advanced features, and performance. It is compared against the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra to determine which device is superior. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is noted for its grade five titanium frame, which is a significant upgrade from previous models, making it lighter and more durable. The video discusses its design, display, camera capabilities, and performance in detail, positioning it as a contender for the best smartphone on the market.

💡Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is Samsung's flagship smartphone, featured in the video for its high-end specifications and features. It is pitted against the iPhone 15 Pro Max in a head-to-head comparison. The S23 Ultra is recognized for its unique features like the S Pen support, superior ultrawide camera, and macro capabilities. The video emphasizes its design, display, camera system, and performance, showcasing it as a top-tier smartphone option.

💡Grade Five Titanium

Grade five titanium is a material used in the construction of the iPhone 15 Pro Max's frame. It is noted for being more premium than aluminum and is referenced in the video as being the same material used on Mars Rovers, indicating its high durability and strength. This material choice contributes to the iPhone 15 Pro Max being lighter than its competitor, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, which uses an aluminum frame.

💡IP68 Water Resistance

IP68 water resistance is a rating that both the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra possess, indicating they are protected against dust and can be submerged in water up to a certain depth without damage. The video mentions that the iPhone 15 Pro Max can be submerged deeper than the S23 Ultra, which might be significant for users who frequently expose their devices to water.

💡Ceramic Shield

Ceramic Shield is a type of glass cover used on the front of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, designed to protect the device from drops and impacts. The video compares it to Gorilla Glass Victus 2 used on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, suggesting that both materials are durable. However, the video does not specify which is more resistant, leaving it to viewer interpretation and potential drop tests.

💡Dynamic Island

The Dynamic Island is a feature of the iPhone 15 Pro Max that replaces the traditional notch with an interactive area of the screen that houses the front-facing camera and sensors. It is highlighted in the video for its animations and the ability to display useful information. It is contrasted with the 'punch hole' design of the S23 Ultra, which is less intrusive during full-screen viewing.

💡Face ID

Face ID is Apple's facial recognition technology used for secure unlocking and authentication on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The video compares it to the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, noting that Face ID is more secure and can be used for banking apps, unlike the facial unlock feature on the S23 Ultra.

💡Telephoto Camera

The telephoto camera is a key component of the iPhone 15 Pro Max's camera system, enabling optical zoom capabilities. The video discusses how the iPhone 15 Pro Max's five times telephoto camera compares to the S23 Ultra's dual telephoto cameras with three times and ten times zoom. The choice between the two may come down to user preference for different zoom levels.

💡A17 Pro Chip

The A17 Pro Chip is Apple's latest processor featured in the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which is fabricated using a three-nanometer process. The video emphasizes its performance advantages over the Snapdragon 8 Gen2 for Galaxy in the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, suggesting that the iPhone 15 Pro Max offers better benchmark scores and the ability to run console-level games.

💡USB Type-C

USB Type-C is a universal charging port that has been adopted by the iPhone 15 Pro Max, replacing the previous Lightning port. The video notes this as a significant change, allowing for compatibility with the same chargers used for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. This move is positioned as a convenience for users who can now use a single cable for multiple devices.

Highlights

iPhone 15 Pro Max features a grade five titanium frame, similar to that used on the Mars Rover, making it more premium than the aluminum frame on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max is lighter than the S23 Ultra, a significant improvement over the iPhone 14 Pro Max's weight.

The S23 Ultra has a curved design, which can dig into hands, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max's flat design with slightly curved screen edges is easier to hold and use with a screen protector.

Both devices offer a matte finish and a variety of colors, with the S23 Ultra providing more color options.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max has an IP68 water resistance rating and can be submerged deeper than the S23 Ultra.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max features Ceramic Shield for its front glass, while the S23 Ultra uses Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

Both smartphones have excellent OLED displays with adaptive refresh rates up to 120 Hz and a notable always-on display feature on the iPhone.

The S23 Ultra has a slightly larger and sharper display, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max gets brighter outdoors.

The Dynamic Island on the iPhone 15 Pro Max offers interactive elements and animations, contrasting with the less intrusive punch-hole camera on the S23 Ultra.

Face ID on the iPhone 15 Pro Max provides a secure facial recognition system,优于 S23 Ultra的超声波指纹扫描仪.

Both devices have excellent rear cameras, but the S23 Ultra excels in macro and ultrawide shots, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max performs better in dynamic range and low light.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max introduces a five times telephoto camera, while the S23 Ultra offers two telephoto cameras with 3x and 10x zoom capabilities.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max's LiDAR scanner aids in low light focusing and enables depth control for images, a feature not as versatile on the S23 Ultra.

The S23 Ultra, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen2 for Galaxy, is a few months old but still offers excellent performance, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max's A17 Pro chip is the industry's first three-nanometer chip.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max supports console-level games like 'Resident Evil Village', a feature not available on the S23 Ultra.

iOS 17 on the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Android with One UI on the S23 Ultra offer different user experiences, with the S23 Ultra providing unique features like DeX and S Pen support.

The S23 Ultra offers faster charging capabilities with up to 45-watt wired charging and 15-watt wireless charging,优于 iPhone 15 Pro Max的20-watt wired and 7.5-watt wireless charging.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max now features USB type-C, aligning with the S23 Ultra and ending the use of the lightning port.

Both devices start at similar prices, but the S23 Ultra, being older, can be found at a lower price in some markets.

Transcripts

- The iPhone 15 Pro Max is here.

It's the best we have from Apple.

How does it compare to the best from Samsung?

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Well, let's put these head to head

SuperSafStyle and find out.

So we're going to start off with the build and the design.

I think both of these are very premium

and good looking devices, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max

now has a grade five titanium frame.

This is the same titanium that's used on the Mars Rover,

and that is more premium compared to the aluminum frame

that we have on the S23 Ultra.

And thanks to that titanium frame

the iPhone 15 Pro Max is now lighter

compared to the S23 Ultra,

the iPhone 14 Pro Max was actually a little bit heavier.

Now the S23 Ultra does have curved edges

as well as curved glass at the front of the device.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max is flat, although there is

just a slight curve on the edges of the screen,

so it will be easier to get a screen protector

on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

But the S23 Ultra does have quite a boxy design

so the edges can dig into your hands.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max has these curved edges

and with the contoured edges that we have this year.

Overall, I would say that the iPhone 15 Pro Max

is the more comfortable device to hold

considering how big these devices are.

Now I do like the matte finish that we have

on the back of both devices.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max is available in four colors.

Black, white, blue, as well as this natural titanium,

but all of these colors are quite muted.

With the S23 Ultra, we've got a phantom black,

a cream, a green, and a lavender,

and we do have some exclusive colors

available from samsung.com, graphite, sky blue,

lime, as well as a red.

So the S23 Ultra with lots more variety.

But, of course, if you're going to be putting these

in a case anyway, I'm sure it's not going to even matter.

Right, now both devices do have

an IP68 water industrial resistant rating.

However, if you do look at the fine print

the iPhone 15 Pro Max can be submerged into water

deeper compared to the S23 Ultra.

Now I'm not sure how much

that's going to matter to most people.

I'm not somebody who takes my device swimming,

so it's not going to matter to me, it might matter to you.

For the front glass we've got Ceramic Shield

on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

The S23 Ultra has Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

Now I am not somebody who does drop tests,

I'm sure there's going to be lots of drop tests out there.

In my experience, both of these are very durable.

Now let's move on to the displays.

I want to say straight up that both of these

have some of the best smartphone displays in the market.

We've got OLED technology, so colors really do pop

and we have adaptive refresh rate, so they can go

all the way up to 120 hertz

and all the way down to one hertz,

which makes these great for the always on displays.

And yeah, since the iPhone 14 Pros,

we do have an always on display on the iPhones

and it has been updated

so we don't have to have a faded background,

it can be completely black, which I do like now.

Now the S23 Ultra does have a slightly larger display.

I'd say with the bezels, the iPhone 15 Pro Max

now does have slightly smaller bezels

compared to the iPhone 14 Pro Max,

but if we do compare these side by side

there is really not much in it.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max does have uniform bezels.

The S23 Ultra does have slightly smaller bezel

on the left and the right compared to the top and bottom,

if that matters to you.

Now, the S23 Ultra is a tad sharper

compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max,

nothing that you're really going to notice,

but the iPhone 15 Pro Max does get brighter outdoors.

So it's impossible to pick a winner between these two,

I think both of these have absolutely excellent displays.

Now one thing we do need to talk about

is the punch out versus the dynamic island.

Now of course, the punch out on the S23 ULTRA

is less intrusive when you are watching things full screen

and it does give you a slightly higher screen to body ratio.

But the dynamic island is an interactive element,

it has lots of cool animations, useful information

as well as the ability to interact with it.

Now I'm not somebody who interacts

with the Dynamic Island much,

because it is the top most part of the screen,

which makes it the least reachable,

but nevertheless, these features are here.

The Dynamic Island also has sensors for Face ID.

So we've got Face ID

versus the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner on the S23 Ultra.

Now I know a few people are going to be saying in the comments

"Yes, but you can get facial unlock on the S23 Ultra."

This is nowhere as secure as Face ID, and you can't use it

for things like banking apps for that reason.

Now, both the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner

and Face ID work really well.

They're both fast.

I think it really comes down to personal preference.

I personally prefer a fingerprint scanner

because it's just more convenient.

I'm somebody who uses my smartphone

a lot when I'm in bed, and with the iPhone 15 Pro Max

I still do find that if I am halfway into the pillow

if I just want to have a quick look at my notifications

then Face ID won't work.

I'm going to have to kind of move my head out.

Whereas with the fingerprint scanner

I can use it however, whenever.

Now let's move on to-

- Hey, SideSaf here.

- You came from this side, you usually come from that side.

- Yeah, I thought I'd mix it up today.

- Fair enough.

- Just to remind you guys

we're getting very close to 2 million subscribers,

so if you haven't already do consider subscribing

and hitting that bell icon.

I'm not going to take up too much of your time this time,

back to work.

- You heard the man, don't forget to subscribe.

So cameras, I've done a detailed SuperSafStyle

camera comparison between these two.

It's over 20 minutes long

and it covers all of the different aspects.

So if you're interested, go and check that out.

But of course you guys want to see a summary.

So firstly, front facing cameras, both have 12 megapixels,

I think both take excellent selfies.

But the real competition, of course,

is with the rear facing cameras.

So we've got three rear facing cameras on the 15 Pro Max,

the S23 Ultra has four.

Both have a 12 megapixel ultrawide camera

which can take macro shots.

I personally lean more towards the S23 Ultra

for macro shots as well as ultrawide shots.

I just think they are sharper overall

with a better dynamic range.

Then we have the primary cameras.

So the S23 Ultra does have a 200 megapixel camera,

the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 48 megapixel primary camera.

Now remember megapixels are not everything.

And the iPhone 15 Pro Max actually has a larger sensor size

compared to the S23 Ultra.

Now images from the primary cameras very, very close

but I did prefer the iPhone 15 Pro Max

for dynamic range as well as low light.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max also shoots

at 24 megapixels by default,

keyword there is default, fanboys.

So images do appear to be sharper overall.

Now with the S23 Ultra,

you can switch to 50 megapixels, or even 200 megapixels,

but these images will take longer to process

and they won't have as much of the computational photography

that you're going to get at 12 megapixels.

And then we have the telephoto cameras,

so the iPhone 15 Pro Max this year

has a five times telephoto camera.

The S23 Ultra actually has two telephoto cameras,

one is at three times zoom and the other is at 10 times zoom

using periscope zoom technology.

Now again, I've covered this in detail

in my camera comparison, but up to around 2.9 times

I'd go with the iPhone 15 Pro Max,

from 3 to 4.9 times I'd go with the S23 Ultra,

from 5 all the way to 9.9 times,

I'd prefer the iPhone 15 Pro Max

and then 10 plus anything above, I prefer the S23 Ultra.

So it really will come down

to what type of zoom you like to have.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max also has a LiDAR scanner

and this does make it easier to focus in low light,

and with the iPhone 15 Pro Max,

now when you take a regular image

it will capture depth information

so you can turn images into portraits at a later stage.

Now I know Samsung fans are going to be

going crazy in the comments saying

"You can also do this on the S23 Ultra."

Now this is something that I did test

and it does work really well, especially for selfies.

However, it is not as versatile as the iPhone 15 Pro Max

because the iPhone 15 Pro Max gives you more depth control.

It also works with objects, if you tap on the screen

when you are taking an image

it will save that depth information.

On the S23 Ultra, this post depth effect

will only work with people or pets,

and a lot of the times, for a lot of the tests,

it actually just didn't work

because it didn't pick up somebody in that image.

So yes, that feature is available on the S23 Ultra

and it can work really well,

but I would still give the edge to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Now for video, both actually take really nice quality video.

Both can film up to 4K 60 frames a second

from all of the cameras,

but the S23 Ultra can film up to 8K.

This is something that you can't do

on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

However, I still do prefer the video

overall on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

I think you've just got better dynamic range,

better colors overall,

and it's also got a better cinematic mode.

You can also now do continuous zoom within cinematic mode.

So that is a summary of what I think of the cameras.

Once again, if you do want to see

the detailed SuperSafStyle camera comparison

that will be linked in the description below.

Let's now move on to performance.

So the S23 Ultra is powered

by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen2 for Galaxy.

This is a four nanometer chip.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max has the industry's first

three nanometer chip, it is the A17 Pro.

Now performance wise, these are absolutely top of the line

and they are both absolutely great

for everything that you throw at them.

I've actually been using the S23 Ultra

for the past six months or so,

and I've had no problems with it whatsoever.

However, being the newer three nanometer chip

the iPhone 15 Pro Max does score higher in benchmarks,

and it will give you better overall performance

compared to the S23 Ultra.

Are 99% of people actually going to notice this?

Probably not.

But the iPhone 15 Pro Max now will also be getting

console level games,

I've been testing "Resident Evil Village"

and it's absolutely insane

to be able to get a console game on to your smartphone.

"Assassin's Creed Mirage" will also be coming soon.

I cannot wait for that.

So yes, the iPhone 15 Pro Max

gets the slight edge out for performance,

but remember the S23 Ultra came out

around January, February time, so it has been out

for quite some time.

And the Snapdragon 8 Gen3 will be the real comparison,

and of course we are going to be doing detailed comparisons

with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra whenever it's out.

So stay tuned for that and make sure you subscribe.

Now for software, we have iOS 17 on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

We have Android with One UI on the S23 Ultra.

Now this could be an endless debate of which is better.

It's going to come down to your personal preference.

I really like both operating systems

and I think it's come to a point

where you really can't go wrong with either.

Now with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, you will be getting updates

for a longer period of time compared to the S23 Ultra.

But the S23 Ultra actually has had a track record

of some of the best updates on Android.

They've promise four years of Android OS updates

as well as five years of security updates.

And the One UI skin is actually

one of my favorites on Android.

And that is because it gives you things

that you're not going to get on any other Android device,

such as DeX the ability to wirelessly connect your S23 Ultra

to a television screen and have a desktop experience.

And although you do have AirPlay on the iPhone 15 Pro Max,

DeX is just on another level.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra also has something

which not only you're not going to find on another iPhone

but you're not going to find

on many other Android devices as well.

And that is the S Pen.

Now guys, I'm going to be completely honest

I very rarely use the S Pen,

however, whenever I do it is so, so useful,

whether that be to edit an image

or sign a document when I'm on the go,

it's so convenient to have

and you're just not going to get that level of precision

with anything else.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max

does also have a bonus feature this year

and that is the action button, which is fully customizable.

Now traditionally we've had a mute switch,

which I never use because my phone is always on mute

and it has been since 2007.

But now you can customize this,

to launch the camera for example,

which is currently what I'm using it for.

However, the S23 Ultra you can

double press the power button,

but if you'd like on the iPhone 15 Pro Max

you can make it open a particular app that you want.

You can also use it as a shutter button

when you are within the camera.

And although this is at a point which is not that reachable,

it is a feature that you don't have on the S23 Ultra.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max also has crash detection

and it also has emergency SOS via satellite,

but it does not have a SIM card tray in the US,

only eSIM, which I know is frustrating for a lot of people.

The S23 Ultra has both a physical SIM card tray

and eSIM capability

and also dual sim card slots, in many regions.

Right now moving onto the speakers,

both have stereo speakers,

one in the earpiece and one bottom firing,

and I think both of these do sound really, really good.

Now I am no audiophile, but my friend Thunder E

from Booredatwork is, and his official statement

was that "The 15 Pro speakers are a little richer

in sound in comparison to the S23 Ultra

which does sound a bit flatter."

Now that's not to say that the S23 Ultra has bad speakers,

they are good, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max does get the edge.

Now one new change on the iPhone 15 Pro Max

which I've been asking for for many, many years

and I've been complaining about in these comparison videos

for the past many years, is USB type C.

We finally have USB type C

and we can say goodbye to the lightning port.

Now, yes, they should have been here a long time ago

and thanks to the EU it finally is here

and it still feels really odd charging the iPhone 15 Pro Max

with the same cable that I used to charge my S23 Ultra.

It's going to take some time getting used to.

Now the iPhone does come with a nicer cable out of the box.

It comes with a braided cable.

The S23 ULTRA does come with a pretty standard

USB type C cable.

Now neither of these come with a charger out of the box,

and that takes us on to the batteries.

So the S23 Ultra does have a larger physical battery

compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max,

but of course that doesn't really determine

how good the battery life is.

In my experience, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has been giving me

similar battery life to the iPhone 14 Pro Max,

maybe slightly better.

Dave 2D actually did a test

and found that the iPhone 15 Pro Max

was very similar to the iPhone 14 Pro Max

in terms of battery life.

And in terms of my usage, I'd say that both of these

have excellent battery life

and I am getting similar usage from both.

Now battery life is of course very difficult to quantify

and I'm sure you're going to be seeing lots of different tests

which will tell you that the iPhone 15 Pro Max

has three to 5% better battery life.

I don't know, but in my experience

they have been very similar,

maybe slightly better battery life on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

However, one area which the S23 Ultra

does have an advantage on is in fast charging.

So the iPhone 15 Pro Max

still only supports 20 watts of wired charging,

which will give you around 50% in 35 minutes.

The S23 Ultra can charge up to 45 watts

with a compatible charger, and with that

you will be getting around 50% in just 20 minutes.

It also has fast Qi wireless charging, 15 watts

versus just 7.5 watts on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

However, the iPhone does have MagSafe wireless charging

so that will go up to 15 watts, but it is proprietary.

I do like MagSafe,

especially if you've got the right accessory

to you be able to use the iPhone 15 Pro Max

in standby mode on your bedside.

And although you can charge other devices

with these using a USB type C cable

the S23 ULTRA does have wireless power share,

reverse wireless charging.

So you'll be able to charge things like your earbuds

on the back of your S23 Ultra.

Now I barely ever use this because it is very slow,

but it is something that you don't have

on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Now let's look at storage and pricing.

So both of these have the three storage variants,

256, 512 and one terabyte.

And they both officially start

roughly at the same price, $1,200 in the US,

1200 pounds in the UK for the iPhone 15 Pro Max

or 1,250 pounds for the S23 Ultra.

However, remember that the S23 Ultra

has been out for around six to seven months

and the price has decreased in a lot of places.

I'll leave an affiliate link down in the description

if you want to see the latest and best deals you can get.

So at this point in time, you can get the S23 Ultra

at a lower price compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

So that is the iPhone 15 Pro Max

versus the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Let me just say that both of these

are some of the best smartphones you can buy right now.

I really don't think you can go wrong with either.

With the S23 Ultra, you get the S Pen, which is unique

and you're not really going to find on any other device.

You get, in my opinion, a better ultrawide camera

as well as a better macro camera with that extended zoom.

And you still get excellent performance

even though this is a few months old,

and because of that, you'll actually get it

for a lower price compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

With the iPhone 15 Pro Max, it's more compact overall,

especially considering how big these devices are.

The cameras are better in low light

and you do have better video overall, in my opinion.

You've also got the newer three nanometer chip

with the ability to play console level games,

and finally, USB type C.

Which one of these will you pick?

It might just be down to the operating system.

Drop me a comment below, let me know.

Remember, if you want to see

my SuperSafStyle camera comparison,

that's going to be linked here,

as well as my full review of the S23 Ultra here.

If you want to see more content like this, make SideSaf's day

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Thanks for watching.

This is Saf on SupersSaf TV and I'll see you next time.